


The Great Escaping Role

by LexLemon



Category: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Genre: Cliff Booth has a heart, Confidence Boost, Domesticity, Everyone needs to get on Cliff’s hype man level, Hurt/Comfort, I WILL have Cliff pick up Rick and spin him because it’s CUTE, I don’t CARE that they’re pretty much the same height, I’ve always wondered how this moment went down in canon, M/M, Pre-Canon, References to direct quotes from the movie, Rick hates Steve McQueen because he wants to be Steve McQueen, Telephone cockblock, so here you go, sorry guys it had to be done
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25659121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LexLemon/pseuds/LexLemon
Summary: Rick believes he’s going to get the lead role in The Great Escape...until he doesn’t. Luckily, he has Cliff by his side to pick him back up and remind him of what’s really important.
Relationships: Cliff Booth/Rick Dalton
Comments: 5
Kudos: 39





	The Great Escaping Role

If anyone asked Rick Dalton or Cliff Booth what happened on the last episode of _77_ _Sunset_ _Strip_ , they wouldn't be able to answer. Instead of watching the beloved detective show one Friday night in beautiful Los Angeles, the two were lying against the arm of Rick's couch, their lips moving back and forth against one another in strong hums. Cliff's hand was pressed against the cushions to keep him steady while Rick grasped onto his shirt collar, drilling his lips onto him with vigor.

"Mm, you, uh...you sure are strong, partner," Cliff said during a pause.

"Well, I have to be if I want to l-l-look good on TV. _Bounty_ _Law_ all depends on me, you know."

"Ah, ah, ah. Don't even say that. That's why I'm here. I'm supposed to help carry the load, remember?"

"Mm, and you do a fine job of it, Cliff."

The two men hummed with a chuckle as they resumed their kiss, feeling themselves sinking deeper into the couch. Just as Rick was about to curl his fingers through Cliff's long blond hair, a shrill telephone ringing began to echo through the house.

Rick pulled himself up and looked over at the telephone hanging on a post by the kitchen with a glare. "God dammit," he said with a growl.

He picked himself up and stomped over to the phone, leaving Cliff to sit back up on the couch. Cliff turned to the side and watched as Rick picked up the receiver and leaned against the post with a scowl.

He said in a sharp voice, "Hello?...Yes, this is Rick Dalton."

Everything in Rick's body straightened within seconds, as he stood up taller and let his face pick itself up from its frown. "He-He-Hello, sir. I-I-I-It's a pleasure to speak with you...Yes, I have...I am?...Which three Georges?...Oh, well those are fine guys for the part as well, but I-I 'preciate you thinkin' of me, sir...Yes, sir. I will. A-And thank you for this, really. If it comes through, I won't let you down...Alright, you too. Good-bye."

Rick hung up the phone and placed his hand on the post, heaving a large breath. "Holy shit," he whispered.

Cliff began to stand up and walk over, asking, "What was that about?"

"Cliff, that was Walter Mirisch."

Cliff felt his eyes widen as he stood before him. "The producer?"

"Uh huh. He was m-m-meetin' with John Sturges 'bout that P.O.W. script goin' 'round. You know, _The_ _Great_ _Escape_?"

"Oh yeah. I remember you mentioning that."

"Yeah. Anyway, they were lookin' at castin' Steve McQueen for the lead, but it's lookin' like he might pass on it. And he said..." Rick's face lit up as he placed his hand on his forehead, a laugh escaping his lips. "Holy shit, Cliff."

"Well, out with it! Come on. What did he say?" Cliff said as he smacked his arm.

"Alright, alright. Hold your horses. He said that if M-McQueen passes...I'm next in the line for the part."

Cliff relaxed his shoulders as an open smile appeared on his face. "Get out."

"It's between me a-a-and the three Georges."

Cliff furrowed his brows together. "Which three Georges?"

"Peppard, Maharis, and Chakiris."

"Oh, those are good Georges."

"Yeah, they're alright. But don't you see, Cliff?" Rick grabbed a hold of his boyfriend's shoulders and looked into his eyes, his own bursting with light by the second. "This could really get m-m-my name out there. I won't be stuck doin' television all my life. I-I-I can finally see my name up on one of them fuckin' marquees in town rather than on a-a-a goddamn bus bench."

"And you'll be a step ahead of McQueen too."

"I can finally rub somethin' in that motherfucker's face! I did somethin' that he couldn't do. I'm finally makin' a name for myself, Cliff. I won't just be Jake Cahill no more. Now, I can be whoever I fuckin' want to be!"

The two men let out a hearty laugh while Cliff picked Rick up and spun him in the air. Once his feet were back on the ground, Rick pulled Cliff in for another kiss, keeping his hands clasped behind his neck.

With the biggest smile on his face, he whispered, "I'm goin' to be a fuckin' movie star."

~

Cliff could barely hear the theme music for _Have_ _Gun_ \- _Will_ _Travel_ as he wrapped his arm around Rick the next night. Rick's sobs echoed around every wall of the house, and it broke Cliff's heart to hear how distraught he was. But he maintained his role as a supportive friend and partner, so he rubbed his hand over Rick's arm while he cried into his shoulder.

"It's fuckin' bullshi-i-i-it," Rick struggled to say through his tears.

"I know. I know. And it is. I agree."

"He fuckin' said McQueen was going to pass it up! He fuckin' said so!"

"I'm sure he did."

"It's fuckin' bullshit. McQueen gets fuckin' everythin' 'round here."

"I know. It's not fair."

"It ain't fuckin' fair!" Rick picked his head up for a moment to look up at Cliff. "I was ahead of the three Georges, Cliff! I-I-I knew Peppard would be a bit of a stretch, but I knew I could beat Maharis and Chakiris. Now look where I am: Back at the bottom of the fuckin' food chain."

Rick placed his head back down with a sigh. "I ain't ever goin' to be in movies, am I? I'm goin' to be a goddamn...fuckin' TV cowboy for the rest of my goddamn life, oh GOD."

Cliff had had enough once Rick's tears started back up again. He moved his hand to Rick's back and gave it a pat, prompting him to sit up. "Hey, hey, alright. Come on. Look at me."

Rick tilted his eyes up towards Cliff but kept himself in a fetal position beside him.

" _All_ the way, Rick."

Rick sighed as he sat up and looked over at Cliff, a small pout on his face.

"Look, you can't think like that. You can't act like losing one role means you're going to lose all of them. It's one role! That's all it is. Just one."

"But it was a fuckin' big role, Cliff."

"Okay, but so was Jake Cahill. And you got that, didn't you? Now look at you! You're about to finish five goddamn seasons of playing him, man! Five! Most shows are lucky if they get three nowadays!"

Rick sniffled. "That's true."

"And just because you didn't get one role doesn't mean they're not making movies anymore. They'll be plenty of other movies to try and audition for." Cliff gave him a small backhanded smack on his arm. "What about that, uh, that western you heard about the other day?"

"What, _Big Game_?"

"Yeah. Why don't you audition for that?"

Rick looked away for a moment, shrugging to himself to find the words to say. "I might not get it."

"Okay, so you might not. But at least you can say that you tried. And hey." Cliff reached over to grab Rick's hand, turning his gaze back onto him. "Whether you do or don't get it, I'm going to be here every step of the way."

Rick felt his head sink into his shoulders and a smile creep onto his face the longer he stared into Cliff's eyes. He could see the truth of his words shining in them, and it made everything feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Giving his hand a squeeze, he said quietly, "Thank you, Cliff." He pecked a kiss on his cheek then laid against him on the couch, turning towards the TV to watch it with his boyfriend.

It wasn't long before he said, "You know, i-if I do get _Big_ _Game_ , I'm probably goin' to need a stuntman. So we'll both be gettin' work."

"Hey, works for me."

The two men laughed against each other and pulled themselves closer, settled in the knowledge that they would always be together no matter what life did or didn't throw at them.


End file.
